The Masked Marvel

Paramount promoted Charley Patton’s second release (12805) with a contest. The initial pressing run of 10,000 copies was issued under the pseudonym “The Masked Marvel,” and customers were encouraged to guess the actual artist’s identity on cards like the one above. Winners could pick a free record of their choice. (from http://www.mainspringpress.com)

from “Charley Patton and his Mississippi Boweavil Blues,” by Robert K. D. Peterson:

Sees a little boll weevil keeps movin’ in the, Lordie!
You can plant your cotton and you won’t get a half a bale, Lordie
Bo weevil, bo weevil, where’s your native home? Lordie
“A-Louisiana raised in Texas,
Least is where I was bred and born”, Lordie

Well, I saw the bo weevil, Lord, a-circle, Lord, in the air, Lordie
The next time I seed him, Lord, he had his family there, Lordie
Bo weevil left Texas, Lord, he bid me “fare ye well”, Lordie

(spoken: Where you goin’ now?)
I’m goin’ down the Mississippi, gonna give Louisiana hell, Lordie
(spoken: How is that, boy?)
Suck all the blossoms and he leave your hedges square, Lordie

The next time I seed you, you know you had your family there, Lordie
Bo weevil meet his wife, “We can sit down on the hill”, Lordie
Bo weevil told his wife, “Let’s trade this forty3 in”, Lordie
Bo weevil told his wife, says, “I believe I may go North”, Lordie

(spoken: Hold on, I’m gonna tell all about that)
“Let’s leave Louisiana, we can go to Arkansas”, Lordie
Well, I saw the bo weevil, Lord a-circle, Lord, in the air, Lordie
Next time I seed him, Lord, he had his family there, Lordie